Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars in The Dark Knight Rises, out Friday, and his longtime industry friends are just as excited as fans are to see JGL in Christopher Nolan’s film.

While promoting Looper at Comic-Con, director Rian Johnson raved about watching Levitt, 31, grow into his own in this business.

“It’s been tremendous,” Johnson told Celebuzz, who has worked with Levitt on films Looper and Brick. “He’s stayed really the same– he’s Joe to me– but, to see him grow, and to see my friend Joe suddenly rise in the business to where I’m going to see him in a Batman movie?”

“It’s just the coolest thing,” praised director Rian Johnson.

“It’s like watching someone you really love, and care about just come into their own, and go where you knew they were capable of going,” continued Johnson about his longtime pal. “It’s been so cool for me.”

Noah Segan, who stars alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Looper and also worked with him on Brick, is just as enthusiastic about his friend’s rise to the top.